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The Sixer Sense
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NBA 2K: Another Tough Season Of Gaming For Sixers Fans

By George Kondoleon

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We are under a month away from the release of the latest edition of 2K Sports’ signature NBA 2K series. NBA 2K16 trailers once again has basketball fans itching for a chance to play what seems to be its most graphically advanced edition of the game.

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There is no doubt the guys at 2K know how to continually impress gamers with the fluidity and naturalness of movements their virtually created players, but they seem to once again leave Sixers fans with a — and some may say deservingly — dud team to play with.

Now of course it is their duty to create the most realistic game possible, so theres no way we see a 76ers team with a higher rating than the Golden State Warriors anytime soon, but it’s always a bummer when you start to despise the idea of, “hey guys, let’s play each other with our favorite teams,” especially when you are the only Sixers fan in a friend group that loves to bandwagon.

So as of now we know three Sixers player ratings.

Pierre Jackson has revealed his first appearance in the video game will be with an overall player rating of 69. It will be interesting to see how 2K has rated Jackson’s 3pt ability and athleticism, but judging off of the overall rating, it’s not looking too good.

Isaiah Canaan was given a rating of 73, a one point bump from last year’s rating. Those who have been updating their NBA 2K15 rosters know that Canaan was of the virtual team’s best players to shoot with because of his easy form and decent ability to hit the outside shot.

Tony Wroten‘s rating was just a 75, which might be perceived as low but a majority of that is probably due to his poor outside shot ability and his consistency rating, but he still will be a somewhat reliable option when trying to drive the ultra-realistic lane in the virtual Wells Fargo Center.

Judging off of the three released ratings, the rest of the team probably won’t be looking good either so here is our best prediction of ratings for some key players and the overall team.

Nerlens Noel– Overall 78

Noel had a pretty good rating of 76 going into last year’s game, and will see an increase going into this years game after a stellar rookie season. Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert recieved a 79 rating, so seeing Noel right around there wouldn’t be too shocking.

Noel’s defensive impact is what will boost his ratings and make him the highest rated player on the team, but don’t start throwing up turnaround jumpers in the post with him just yet. Much like last year’s game, Noel will serve as a block and dunk player who will primarily score off of put backs, easy dunks, and transition alley oops. Once in a while virtual Noel will hit a 10-footer, but don’t make a habit out of giving him the ball if you want a chance at beating your friends rooting for the Cleveland Cavalier.

Jahlil Okafor– Overall 76

Okafor will be fun to play with, and gives you a great reason to slow down the game, taking possession time away from your opponent. Okafor’s athleticism may be a problem and post moves seem to get easier to defend in recent games, but the ability to finish in traffic will be a major reason why his rating isn’t terrible.

His poor FT shooting and lack of defense will make him a tough player to use, and will be the main reason why his rating won’t be the highest on the team. Okafor’s passing ability will make him a valuable player to keep on the court, as long as the Sixers guards are somewhat able to shoot in the game.

Nik Stauskas– Overall 71

Stauskas had a less than stellar rookie season with the Kings, and his 2K15 rating suffered, dropping to an overall of 68 by the end of the year. Stauskas could see some graciousness from 2K raters and might find himself in the 70’s again.

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Stauskas has a solid chance as a starter for the Sixers, and probably will be the most used 2K player by Sixers fans because, well he’s Sauce Castillo. His three point ability will be a key factor on how well this otherwise subpar offense will perform in the virtual world. Stauskas should also be a nice option to play at point guard for gamers who aren’t fans of the Sixers’ current point guard depth.

Overall Team Rating Prediction- 71 Overall

Now before the storm of critical comments come in, this low rating is mostly brought down by the lack of depth the Sixers obtain. With the exception of maybe Carl Landry, the bench probably won’t see a player rating over 72. That, and the fact that the Sixers are scarce in holding consistent outside shooters, will be reasons why the NBA 2K16 Sixers will once again be rated near the bottom.

It will be fun beating your friend who is inept at playing 2K in a Sixers vs. Warriors matchup. The “myLeague mode” should continue to be fun if you are a rebuild-through-the-draft guy, so keep trusting the virtual process!

Stay tuned for The Sixer Sense 2K16 simulation of the Sixers’ season.

Next: Will Okafor Be Quiet In Press Conferences?

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